B.C. teacher formally reprimanded over ‘inappropriately political’ social-media video

A Burnaby, B.C., high school teacher has received a formal reprimand from the province’s professional regulator after posting a social-media video that was viewed by some students as threatening, inappropriately political and condoning extreme violence.

Tyler William Graham entered a consent resolution agreement with the B.C. Commissioner for Teacher Regulation last month. He admitted misconduct and agreed to the consequence. The agreement does not name Charlie Kirk, but says that shortly after a “high-profile murder in the United States,” Graham posted an Instagram story of himself playing guitar and singing: “If you don’t want to get shot in the neck, don’t push policies that ruin lives.”

The commissioner said Graham’s Instagram profile was public, that he knew students followed it, and that students saw the story before it was widely shared in the school community. In September 2025, the Burnaby School District issued Graham a disciplinary letter and required him to take a professional-boundaries course.

After considering the matter this year, the commissioner found that the post constituted professional misconduct and conduct unbecoming a teacher. The agreement says a reprimand was appropriate because the message appeared to condone extreme violence in response to views Graham did not agree with and because he failed to consider its effect on students and the school community.

The commissioner noted that Graham accepted responsibility, made his social-media account private and removed all current and former students as followers.